


Rare Moment

by tii_puu



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Deviates From Canon, Extra Treat, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-30
Updated: 2016-10-30
Packaged: 2018-08-27 22:52:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8420281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tii_puu/pseuds/tii_puu
Summary: Reiko meets her grandson for the first time.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Merit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merit/gifts).



“There you are!”

Reiko's offhand greeting had Yukiko gaping in the doorway, dumbstruck for a moment. “I should be the one saying that!” she rejoined then, meeting her mother's cheeky gaze, “the baby was born _three_ weeks ago.” 

“Well, that explains why I didn't find you at the hospital.” Reiko grinned at her from under the shadow cast by her large straw hat. “They only told me you had already gone on home. I suppose everything went well?”

Yukiko touched a hand to her forehead, as if to push back the myriad things she wanted to tell - yell at - her mother, knowing perfectly well that it was useless to scold her. She sighed. “What took you so long? I warned you I'd be giving birth soon.”

“I had a...mishap. A rather big one.”

Yukiko scanned her mother's form. A large scab cut across her knee, half-concealed by the hem of her simple, light flowery dress, and she had webs of scratches on both legs, faded but still visible. The ever-present book of friends peeked out of a worn tote bag. Instinctively, Yukiko looked left and right, up and down the street. She couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, but that didn't mean there _wasn't_ anything out of the ordinary.

“Don't worry. I made sure no evil-intentioned youkai would follow me.”

Yukiko frowned.

“The ones who did follow me are on my side...for protection,” Reiko said confidently, but failed to be reassuring. “Well...can I see my grandchild?” she asked when Yukiko kept frowning at her.

Yukiko couldn't help it. Reiko's dress wasn't meant for someone her age. Then again, Reiko's age didn't really show. She didn't seem to age at all, even though any change in her appearance should have been all too evident, given how rarely they met. Yukiko knew it was for the best that her mother never spent too long with her family, but she couldn't help being a little resentful. It was a miracle she hadn't grown up feeling like an orphan. 

“Come in,” she said, sounding as annoyed and as tired as she felt. 

Reiko took off her hat and turned, winking at the trees on the opposite side of the road.

Baby Takashi's cradle was a large old-fashioned thing paid-for by Yukiko's father. Yukiko doubted her mother even took note of the cradle, just as she seemed not to notice the fact that her son-in-law wasn't home at the moment. Reiko had never been one for mundane things. She slipped off her sneakers – so dirty it was impossible to tell what colour they had been originally – and padded barefoot towards the bedroom. Her eyes widened when they settled on the tiny sleeping form.

Yukiko bit the corner of her mouth. She knew that keen, faraway look in her mother's eyes. Yukiko had not inherited her powers, but Takashi could very well have. He had the same peculiar hair colour as Reiko, the same eyes. What would happen to him if he was able to see youkai too? What sort of life would he have?

The baby awoke, as if conscious of the attention, and gurgled happily towards his grandmother, waving chubby arms up at her. 

Reiko's eyes narrowed again, and filled with a bright, warm light, something almost liquid that Yukiko half-expected to spill from them at any moment, a mix of happiness, pride and protectiveness. She carefully slipped her arms under Takashi, lifted him and cradled him to her chest. Yukiko held her breath. 

Reiko glanced over in her direction and smiled before bending over Takashi and cooing him gently.

And then Yukiko knew: even if Takashi had inherited Reiko's powers, even if all her worst fears proved true, Reiko would protect him, and he would never have to bear the burden of those powers alone.

**Author's Note:**

> As far as I rememeber Takashi's mother doesn't have a name in canon, but I'm not up to date with the latest chapters of the manga so sorry if I'm mistaken.


End file.
